Unit Plan 26 (PreK Math): Positional Play with Shapes
Use positional words (in, on, under, beside, in front of, behind, next to) with shapes through play, obstacle paths, and mats to follow and give clear location directions.
Focus: Use position words with shapes in playful contexts—obstacle courses, tabletop mats, and story play—to describe and follow directions (e.g., in, on, under, above, beside, in front of, behind, next to).
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Mathematics (Geometry—Positional Language with Shapes)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Children strengthen everyday positional language while handling shape manipulatives and moving their bodies through simple obstacle courses. They practice listening to directions, placing shapes and objects in locations (e.g., under the bridge, on the mat), and saying where items are.
Essential Questions
- How can I use position words to tell where something is?
- Where can I put a shape to match a direction (e.g., in the circle, next to the square)?
- How do pictures, mats, and props help me show a location?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Use and understand common position words (e.g., in, on, under, above, beside, in front of, behind, next to).
- Follow directions to place shapes and classroom objects in specific positions.
- Describe the location of objects using complete positional statements.
- Match, sort, and move shapes on positional mats to show understanding in tabletop play.
- Create simple obstacle paths and give directions to peers using position words.
Standards Alignment — Custom CCSS-style Pre-Kindergarten
- PK.G.2 — Use position words accurately. Uses in/on/under/above/beside/in front of/behind/next to during play. Example: “The bear is under the chair.” Aligns to: K.G.1 (positional language).
- Mathematical Practices: MP.1–MP.6 threaded (perseverance; modeling/tools; precision; structure/regularity).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can say where something is using position words.
- I can put a shape in the right place to follow a direction.
- I can tell a friend where to move a shape using clear words.